Car coupler



Sept. 13; 1932. R, J. WITTMER 1,876,816

CAR COUPLER Filed Aug. 5, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ei-vvvmtoz @51 MA @M'omea Sapfit, 155,, i932. R. J.YWITTMER 1,876,816

CAR COUPLER Filed Au 5, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fjwue/wto c 35 40 0 WOW.Sept. 13,, 1932. R. J. WITTMERI 1, 7

CAR COUPLER Filed Aug. 5, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 avwemtoz @513 il 'attovmLMGEH 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 13, 1932 R. J. WIT'II'MER CAR COUPLER FiledAug. 5, 1926 Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNET srss I new OF ICE 1 l nussnnr.J. wrrrivrnn, or EAST CLEVELAND, onr nssronon ro NATIONAL MAL'LEm BLEAND s'rnnr. oes'rrnss COMPANY, or C EVELAND,- onro, A CORPORATION orOHIO CAR oournnn Application filed August 5, 1926. Serial n5. 127,259.

The following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in. which:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of a car coupler embodying my inventionand showing the transition mechanism in operative position; Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section similar to Fig.1, but with the transition mechanism in nonoperative position; and Fig.4 is front elevation of my improved coupler with the operating partsremoved.

My invention relates to car couplers, par ticularly of the Master CarBuilders type, intended for use in a transition service. It has beenextremely difficult on roads, espe cially in foreign countries, whichare partly but not fully equipped with'couplers of the Master CarBuilders type to effect coupling.

with cars equipped with couplers of other types, and particularly toarrange the transi tional coupling mechanism in a position measurablynear the longitudinal center line of the M. C. B. coupler withoutinterfering substantially with the construction and operation of the M.C. B. coupler. In my improved coupler I have been able to locate thetransitional coupling near the center line of the coupler, and at thesame time have been able to operate fering with the strength of itsconstruction or its operativeness. My invention also comprises variousfeatures which I shall here-. inafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawings, 2 indicates a coupler of the Master CarBuilders type which is of the general character shown in patents ofArthur J. Bazeley, Nos. 1,518,299 and 1,518,300, dated December 9,1924:, in which the coupler has been built out on the pivot pin side toform an enlarged cavity 3. The knuckle i is so shaped that when inlocked position its tail 5, as is shown in Fig. 3, is almost whollyoutside a longitudinal vertical plane taken through the axis of thepivot pin 6. The locking and opening piece which straddles the knuckletail, lies wholly on the pivot pin side of the coupler, and

the coupler without interthe knuckle pin, so that a long1tudinally .ver-

ticalplane; passing through the axis-of the pin intersects the engagingsurfaces of the locking face Sand the knuckle tail. The exterior contourof the lmuckle is carried around to the point 9, so that when theknuckle is open the contour of the knuckle Will project into the path ofthe opposing knuckle to an extent suificient to ensure closure of theknuckle.

-The purpose of moving the operating mechanism and of changing theshape'of the knuckle is to permit the location of the transitionmechanism as near the longitudinal center line of'the coupler aspossible. The transition mechanism is mounted in a longitudinallyextending slot 10 which extends up from, the bottom throughthefront'facell and the floor of the coupler, and is suspended thereinby the bolt 12, which extendsacross the slot 10, supports the'transitionmechanism thereon, and is secured to the coupler head in such a way asto reinforce it to compensate for the slotting of the head. Thetransitional mechanism may be of the usual character, such as theshackles 13 and 14: mounted on the screw rod 15 operated by the handle16. The slot 10 is flared slightly toward its forward endso as to permitthe transitional mechanism to angle laterally.

It will be seen, as is shown in Fig. 1, that the transitional device maybe used without interfering with the knuckle or lock by placing theknuckle in unlocked or knucklethrown position, and that, as is shown inFig. 3, when it is desired to use the coupler as an M..C. B. coupler thetransitional mechanism hangs 'vertically in such a way as not tointerfere with the coupling operations with'a like coupler. I

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the useof such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalentsof the features shown and described, or portions thereof, .but recognizethat various structural modifications are possible within the scope ofthe invention claimed. Obviously, my invention may be used with types ofcouplers other than that here shown.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic coupler comprising a head, a pivoted knuckle and a lockcapable of effecting normal coupling operations with a like coupler andhaving a transitional coupling member mounted therein adjacent thecentral horizontal plane of the coupler and adapted without interferencewith the normal coupler parts to be rotated into and out of operativeposition by movement'about a horizontal axis and being adapted when inoperative position to extend forwardly beyond the bufling face of thecoupler and be held between the guard arm and knuckle so as to permit apull substantially along the longitudinal axis of the coupler, the saidcoupler being operable either as an automatic coupler or as atransitional coupler without the automatic coupler parts interferingwith the transitional parts or Vice versa.

2. A coupler head adapted to couple with like and unlike couplers havinga knuckle and a vertically movable lock, the lock engaging face of theknuckle moving from a diagonally rearward position when the knuckle islocked to a position substantially parallel to the line of draft, atransitional device 'pivotally mounted adjacent the longitudinal axis ofsaid coupler disposed when in operative position to couple with anunlike coupler and when in non-operative position being removed to anon-interfering position with the first mentioned elements and when insaid last named position extending downwardly through a slot in thecoupler head.

7 3. A coupler head having a slot through the bufiing face of the headfor the reception of a transitional coupling member, a pivoted knuckleand a vertically movable lock, the lock engaging the locking face of theknuckle directly to the rear of the knuckle pin, substantially the wholeknuckle, when the knuckle swings to open position, being on one side ofthe longitudinal center line of the head and clear of the slot, andmeans on the knuckle which when the knuckle is in open positionextends'in front of the buffing face of the head and toward the guardarm to ensure the closing of the knuckle in subsequent couplingoperations, said means projecting forward of the bufiing face of thehead when the knuckle is locked. RUSSELL J. WITTMER.

